HILLSDALE WATERSHED COALITION

As of July 2016, the district became the sponsor for the Hillsdale Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS). The lake is impaired for sedimentation, nitrogen and phosphorous. A local group of stakeholders, the Hillsdale Watershed Coalition, is driving the effort to clean up the lake.

WHAT IS A WATERSHED?

A watershed is an area of land containing a common set of streams and rivers that all drain to a single larger body of water such as a lake, river or ocean. Everyone lives in a watershed!

WHAT IS THE HILLSDALE LAKE WATERSHED?

The watershed is the 144 square miles (92,000 acres) of Douglas, Johnson, Miami and Franklin counties that drain in to Hillsdale Lake. 56,000 people depend on the lake for drinking water; reducing the pollutant load is critical for the future of the region.

WHO IS THE COALITION?

Members are the cities, counties, conservation districts, water suppliers landowners, farmers and others who have a stake in the health of the watershed. The leadership team consists of the following.

Dwayne Beckford, Co-Chair

Gayla Speer, Co-Chair

Ted Guetterman

Robert Lynn

Eleanor Zuvanich

Heather Schmidt

Teresa Reeves

Jerry Bennett

Alan Soetaert

Major contributors include

KDHE, through EPA 319 Grant

Johnson County Stormwater

Miami County Commission

City of Louisburg

City of Paola

City of Edgerton

City of Gardner

City of Spring Hill

Hillsdale Area Water Cooperative

HOW CAN I HELP

Contact us to learn about upcoming events and opportunities to get involved.

Improve your land!

Consider making a change for clean water on your land or farm by planting trees along streams and
buffers around your cropland; fence horses and cattle out of streams and ponds; or any of the other
clean water management practices. We may be able to assist with some or most of the cost.

Volunteer!

Contact us about volunteer opportunities such as helping with educational events, stream monitoring, a stream cleanup or a fundraiser.